1. Claire Jane Sweeney was born on 17 April 1971 and is an English actress, singer, and television personality.
31 Facts About Claire Sweeney
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Claire Sweeney was a panellist on ITV's Loose Women between 2003 and 2005, and presented 60 Minute Makeover from 2004 to 2006.
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Claire Sweeney has appeared as a contestant on various reality television shows.
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Claire Sweeney was a housemate on the first series of Celebrity Big Brother, competed on the first series of Strictly Come Dancing, and appeared on the sixteenth series of Dancing on Ice.
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Claire Sweeney was born in Walton, Liverpool, the daughter of a butcher who had a shop in Toxteth.
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Claire Sweeney trained at the Elliott-Clarke Theatre School in Liverpool, and worked at weekends in her father's shop.
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Claire Sweeney was then educated full-time at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London.
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In 2001 Claire Sweeney appeared in the first series of Celebrity Big Brother and Lily Savage's Blankety Blank, and presented ITV's Challenge of a Lifetime.
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Claire Sweeney was cast as Roxie Hart in the London revival of the musical Chicago.
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In 2002 Claire Sweeney became a forces sweetheart and entertained British Army troops serving in Afghanistan.
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Claire Sweeney co-presented BBC One's A Song for Europe with Christopher Price.
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In 2003, Claire Sweeney starred in the world tour of the musical revue Fosse, and featured on the album Give Me a Smile by Carl Davis and the BBC Concert Orchestra.
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Claire Sweeney was a regular panellist on the ITV's Loose Women from 2003 to 2005, and has appeared as a guest panellist several times since then.
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In 2004, Claire Sweeney appeared as a contestant on series one of Strictly Come Dancing, being eliminated in week five.
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From 2004 to 2006 Claire Sweeney presented the ITV daytime show 60 Minute Makeover.
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Claire Sweeney hosted BBC One's Here Comes the Sun In May 2005 she was among the performers who took part in A Party to Remember event commemorating the 60th anniversary of VE Day.
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In 2005 and 2006, Claire Sweeney appeared in pantomime productions of Snow White and Aladdin at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham.
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In 2011 Claire Sweeney played both "The Girl" in a national tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Tell Me on a Sunday and Paulette in the first UK tour of Legally Blonde: The Musical.
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Claire Sweeney starred as Amanda in the BBC sitcom Candy Cabs.
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In 2012, Claire Sweeney appeared in the UK tour of Educating Rita.
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In 2013 Claire Sweeney appeared in Let's Dance for Comic Relief alongside Natalie Cassidy, Dean Gaffney and Ricky Groves, performing to "You Can't Stop the Beat" from Hairspray.
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Since 2015 Claire Sweeney has presented her own series, Magic of the Musicals on Magic Radio.
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In 2015 and 2016 Claire Sweeney played Velma Von-Tussle in the UK tour of Hairspray.
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In 2019 Claire Sweeney took part in a special episode of Radio 2's Friday Night Is Music Night to celebrate Tony Hatch's 80th birthday.
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Claire Sweeney starred as Hayley in the BBC sitcom Scarborough, alongside Jason Manford, Stephanie Cole, and Catherine Tyldesley.
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Claire Sweeney provided 'alternative Scouse commentary' for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 final in Liverpool, alongside a member of the public chosen via BBC Radio Merseyside's "Voice of Eurovision" talent search campaign, who was revealed on 1 May 2023 to be Paul Quinn.
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In 2024, Claire Sweeney appeared as a contestant on the sixteenth series of Dancing on Ice.
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Claire Sweeney was paired with Colin Grafton and was third to be eliminated.
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Sweeney supports Claire House Children's Hospice, and is a patron of Queenie's Christmas Charity and the Children's Liver Disease Foundation.
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Claire Sweeney had a relationship with businessman Billy Oakes for six years, until 2007.
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Claire Sweeney has a son, Jaxon, with her ex-partner Daniel Reilly.